


Hail to the King

by Roosterbytes



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Achievement Hunter Kinda, Mad King Ryan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 08:39:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9540113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roosterbytes/pseuds/Roosterbytes
Summary: It was funny how fast the madness had consumed him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's 7:52am and I haven't slept but I've had Hail to the King by Avenged Sevenfold in my head so I wrote this not intending for it to be an AH Fanfic. Oops.
> 
> Also written on my phone so excuse any mistakes made.

It started as something small, something they'd all joke about because they knew it was so very far from the truth. And it was. It still was.. Wasn't it?

Everything around him confirmed his doubts but he did his best to ignore it. He instead went back to the times where those small comments had been followed by laugher instead of fear. Where he didn't walk in on his friends' hushed whispers that would die down upon his arrival. He went back to those better days and deep down, he longed for them.

But they were gone, never to return.

He'd somehow fallen off the deep end. Too many screws had come loose and his marbles had gotten lost. There's only so many ways he could describe what had happened and yet none were correct. The closest he'd ever gotten was the phrase 'A slow descent into madness'. But was that really accurate? Shouldn't he have known it was happening before it was too late?

There were signs he now realizes. They were so obvious, if only he'd looked at them harder--studied his friends' words better, he would've noticed. But he didn't. He had failed them because he was too wrapped up in things that were unimportant and now it's cost him dearly.

The regret he feels in his bones reminds him of who he once was and the happy madness in his brain reminds him of who he's become. He's disgusted by this newer version of himself and in the back o his mind, he's incredibly satisfied. All the pent up feelings and thoughts that he'd had circling inside his mind have finally been released. If only he'd had more control of himself, maybe they'd still be here.

But they are still here, just not in the way he wants. As his eyes cast the ground around him, he sees them. They're all right there beside him and he simply just needs to walk over to them.

And so he does.

His boots squish against the floor as he makes his way to his eldest friend. The man before him looks tired with heavy bags under his eyes and messy hair. The man's tattooed arm reaches up to him, shaking and weak. For a second, the madness is gone and only despair remains. He reaches his own hand back out to his friend, clasping their hands together in a weak grip. He hears his name whispered from his friend's wet lips and in that moment he wishes he were deaf.

When his oldest friend closes his eyes, only then does he move on. The next man before him has a bushy beard that's unkempt with glasses that are askew on his nose. This man has furrowed brows with a confused look in his face unlike the other man's frown. He places a hand on the man's shoulder with a frown of his own that only deepens at the man's voice.

"Why..?"  
"I'm sorry.." Is all he can reply. He has no answer for his friend although he wishes he did. He watches the man let out a sigh before walking away. 

The next man he faces wears a scowl. There's a mixture of hurt and betrayal amongst the rage that's set heavy in his features and it only serves to make him feel worse about what he's done. He kneels in front of his friend only to be pulled forward but a strong fist in his shirt.

"We trusted you."

"I know."

"You betrayed us!"

"I know.." He closes his eyes with a sigh. If he could take back his actions, he would.. But he can't and now they all must suffer the consequences just as he has to. He regrets it and he hopes it reflects in his eyes as he meets the brown iris' of his friend. It doesn't appear so. The man simply pushes him weakly, letting go of his shirt as he turns his head away with a scoff. With one last look, he stands and begins his walk to one of his final friends.

This man is thin, lanky even. It's like his limbs are too long for his body that he appears clumsy and some would argue that it matches him perfectly. This time his friend doesn't offer him some witty joke or smartass comment, he instead looks at him with all the sadness it seems he can muster. The sight conjures a few tears to fall from his cheeks and he wishes more than anything his friend would even poke fun at him, but it's too late for that. He'd lost that right long ago.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want it to go this way. I didn't mean for this to happen." Is all he can say. His friend only nods solemnly in response, so he begins his final trek.

His last friend awaits his with a sad smile. The man's dog tags glint in the setting sunlight just as his sunglasses do. He removes the shades from his friend's face and stares into his tear filled eyes. Despite not knowing each other for long, their bond, their friendship, was strong. The man doesn't offer him any clever puns that used to make him groan, just that same sad smile and a handful of words.

"It's okay. I understand why you did it. I know it's not your fault." His friend gives his shoulder a squeeze and a few more tears slide down both their cheeks. He breaks down for a moment, sobbing while his friend watches on.

"I'll let them know what happened. I'll let them know it wasn't your fault. Okay buddy?" That sad smile grows and all he can do is feverishly nod his head up and down.

"Tell them I'm sorry. Please. Tell them I'd take it back- I want to.."

"I will, I promise." And with that, he gets to his feet and with one final glance at his final friend, he walks on once more.

He doesn't know where he's going but the madness is leading him and maybe, just maybe, it'll help him find a way to undo all that he's done-- It'll remove the curse this crown has placed on him and bring his friends back to life.

And maybe those are just the thoughts of a Mad King.


End file.
